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Casual Dining Hot Spot Embraces Demand for Growth; First Franchisee-Owned Store to Open in South Carolina

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB)November 20, 2013

In their time as actors and musicians in New York City, Brian Burchill and Robert Maynard began a ritual of home-cooked omelets made from scratch in the company of good friends. After seeking out breakfast spots to frequent and coming up short, the self-proclaimed breakfast aficionados collaborated to create Toast Café (Toast) – a gourmet better-breakfast concept. Since its inception in 2005, word of Toast’s famous fresh-made breakfasts has spread, and so too has the brand. As a reflection of its growing success, the fast-casual brand is excited to welcome its first franchisee, Jason Serkin, who will be spearheading the franchise’s expansion in South Carolina and beyond.

Serkin, a New Jersey native, joined Toast’s loyal fan base when he first experienced the brand’s fusion of fresh food and great presentation in 2010 as a customer. Noticing an absence of breakfast options in Fort Mill, the business-savvy entrepreneur saw an opportunity to offer a much-needed casual breakfast option to his local community.

“I am extremely honored to be opening the first franchisee-owned Toast location,” Serkin said. “My family and I fell in love with Toast’s breakfast concept after our first visit and we are excited to lead the brand’s expansion in South Carolina. This is a great opportunity for us to introduce Toast to more fans and offers quality food and service to our neighbors in Ft. Mill.”

As the first system franchisee, Serkin will spearhead the brand’s expansion initiatives with the inaugural Fort Mill location. Serkin’s store will also mark Toast’s debut in South Carolina, a market which has the potential to support 25 additional units.

“As we grow our presence, we are thrilled to have Jason join Toast as the first franchisee and help bring a unique dining experience to new areas on the East Coast. Like our customers, our franchisees are our family,” Maynard said. “Our ultimate objective with franchising is to ensure franchisee profitability, and we will achieve that by offering ample support and resources, and the necessary foundation for success and prosperity.”

Brunch trends have been on the upswing, but the market remains relatively undeveloped, affording Toast franchisees huge growth opportunities. Territories in the Carolinas and northeastern United States have been the focus of present development. Ultimately, Toast aims to scale into a nationally-known brand without sacrificing its one-of-a-kind dining experience.

With a franchise fee of $35,000, Toast is positioned for healthy growth and expansion, ensuring hands-on assistance for new franchisees like Serkin. Operational support includes site selection, developmental assistance, lease negotiations, restaurant design and comprehensive marketing tools.

“Our simple philosophy is that breakfast is an event and should be treated as such, which is what our success is based on,” Burchill said. “We love what we do, and having the opportunity to bring great culinary dishes in an inviting atmosphere to new neighborhoods, is truly gratifying and exciting.”

The Toast brand took off after opening in Huntsville, N.C., ultimately moving to a larger storefront in nearby Davidson. Burchill and Maynard then opened additional locations in Dilworth and Ballantyne in 2008 and 2011 respectively, signaling the beginning of the concept’s transformation into a franchise. With a vision to grow the concept on a national scale, Toast has infused new life into a sector of the food industry that had plateaued, and have carved a niche for investors in the better-breakfast segment.

Among a sea of factory-produced pancakes and generic dishes that dot the current breakfast landscape, Toast has been able to break through the clutter to offer customers, and franchisees, a true choice.

“Breakfast should be social, and people come to Toast to be a part of it – to hear the noises, to see the waiters and to enjoy the quality food prepared for them with great care,” Burchill said. “That experience is something that you don’t get consistently elsewhere, and we’re thrilled about what the future holds, both for our future franchisees and the Toast brand.”

ABOUT TOAST
Toast Café’s story began in 2005 in Huntersville, N.C. in a small house-turned-restaurant where best friends Brian Burchill and Robert Maynard opened their first breakfast spot. News of their fresh-made breakfasts and fun atmosphere spread. The concept quickly grew to three locations, serving new and loyal clients dishes such as made-from-scratch portabella mushroom benedict and avocado omelets. Never compromising fresh ingredients or friendly service, the demand for Toast kept growing. To satisfy its family of patrons’ pleas for more locations, Toast evolved into a franchise system in 2013. Dining customers always can expect impeccable service because at Toast, “every server is your server.” Breaking through the boring casual breakfast segment, Toast will continue spreading its success to new communities across the United States. For more information about Toast or to learn about franchising opportunities, please visit http://toastcafeonline.com/.